Chapter 3

   Trevor’s gaze lingered on Ivy, his smirk deepening as he pushed off the doorframe and sauntered into the room. His presence filled the space instantly, bringing with it a weight Ivy had almost forgotten during his absence.

"Good to see you, Ivy," Trevor said, his voice smooth yet laced with mockery. He looked her up and down, that familiar spark of mischief in his eyes. "Still playing sidekick to my dear brother, I see."

"Leave her alone, Trevor," Justin warned, his tone cold and clipped as he stepped slightly in front of Ivy, instinctively shielding her.

But Trevor only laughed, clearly amused. "Relax, Justin. I'm just making conversation," he said with a shrug, although Ivy knew better. She could already feel the heat rising to her cheeks, her discomfort mounting under Trevor’s pointed stare.

"Well, go make it somewhere else," Justin replied, his voice hard. The tension between the brothers crackled in the air, a silent reminder of the rivalry that had only seemed to grow with time.

Trevor’s eyes flicked back to Ivy, his smirk never wavering. "Anyway, Ivy, we’ll have plenty of time to catch up. I’ll make sure of it."

She fought to keep her expression neutral, her heart hammering as he finally turned and left the room, his footsteps echoing down the hallway.

When he was out of earshot, Ivy exhaled, her shoulders sagging with relief. Justin placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder, his expression softening. "Hey, don’t let him get to you. He’s just... well, he’s Trevor."

Ivy managed a weak smile, though her nerves were still buzzing. "I know. I just... wish he’d grow up already."

Justin chuckled, giving her shoulder a gentle squeeze. "Trust me, you’re not alone in that wish." He paused, looking toward the hallway where Trevor had disappeared, his brow furrowed. "Let’s just get through this holiday with as little drama as possible, yeah?"

"Yeah," Ivy agreed, though deep down, she knew that would be easier said than done. With Trevor around, peace never lasted long, and part of her dreaded whatever he had planned for her this time.

There was a time when he’d found out about her crush on Justin. Ivy had begged him not to tell, pleading relentlessly until he finally agreed—but only on one condition: that she would handle his laundry and do the dishes he was supposed to wash.  

It had been the worst part of her life, but she'd had no choice.

With a frown, she turned and went to her room. 'What a boring day.'

~~

Ivy yawned loudly as she sat up in bed. She’d gone straight to sleep as soon as she got home, only to now check her phone and gasp—it was already 11 p.m. Justin hadn’t even thought to wake her up. She was definitely going to be mad at him for that.

Still half-asleep but utterly famished, Ivy wandered out of her room, intent on finding something to eat.

Ivy walked into the kitchen, her stomach growling as she scanned the fridge for something to eat. Opening the freezer, she spotted some frozen meals her mom had made. Her mom was a nurse who often worked night shifts, and tonight was one of them. 

She popped the food into the microwave and leaned against the counter, sighing heavily.

"Creep," a voice muttered, making her nearly jump out of her skin.

She scoffed when she recognized the voice. "Can you leave me alone?" she grumbled, turning her attention back to the microwave.

Trevor stepped closer, smirking as he opened the microwave door.

"That isn't yours," she said, reaching for the food, but he was quicker and pulled it out with a smug grin.

"Look who got bold," he chuckled. "And you've gotten so big… The last time I saw you, you were, what, 14? Now you're what, 16?"

Ivy rolled her eyes, knowing he was just trying to get under her skin. "I was 16 then, and now I'm 18," she corrected, reaching for the food again, only for him to chuckle and head to the drawer for a spoon.

"Well, you're grown now," he mused, "Maybe even outgrown that little crush on Justin."

She kept silent, but her jaw tightened, which made Trevor raise an eyebrow as he turned to her.

“Oh, seems like Miss Creep still has her tiny crush on Mr. Casanova," he teased, taking a spoonful of her food.

She rolled her eyes, silently cursing him. She hated him so much.

"Can you just leave me alone? Aren't you too grown for this?" she muttered, opening the fridge to grab some milk. She’d settle for cereal since he’d stolen her meal.

Trevor leaned back, watching her with a sly grin. "You know, I could actually help you with Justin… make him notice you."

"Not interested," she replied, pouring cereal into a bowl and adding milk.

"You might like it, though," he continued, but she dismissed him with a quick shake of her head.

"No, thank you," she said flatly.

He shrugged, giving her a knowing smile. "You know where to find me if you change your mind."

She scoffed, knowing full well she’d never go to him for help. Trevor didn’t do favors without a price, and he was as calculating as the devil himself. 

And whatever that price was, she wasn’t willing to pay it.

Ivy took a seat at the kitchen table, trying to ignore the presence of Trevor, who had made himself comfortable across from her, still eating her food. She focused on her cereal, willing him to just leave, but he seemed in no hurry.

"So," he began, twirling the spoon around in her meal, "what’s so special about Justin, anyway? Can’t see why you'd waste your time."

She glanced at him, debating whether to respond. "Not that it's any of your business, but Justin's... nice," she mumbled, stirring her cereal. "He doesn’t act like a jerk for fun."

Trevor chuckled, clearly amused. "Nice? That’s it?" He leaned forward, his eyes sparkling with mischief. "Justin doesn’t even know your feelings exist. But if you want someone who knows exactly who you are," he gestured at himself with a smirk, "I’m right here."

She raised her eyebrows, unimpressed. "Right. Exactly the opposite of what I want."

"Suit yourself," he shrugged, taking another bite. "But don’t be surprised when you realize you’re wasting your time. Casanovas like Justin never settle for just one girl. He won’t give you a second thought."

"Maybe," she said quietly, stirring her cereal and trying to ignore the sting in his words. She had always hoped Justin was different, but maybe she was just fooling herself.

For a moment, Trevor’s smug expression softened as he watched her. "Hey," he said in a gentler tone, "if you ever want to know how guys like him think, I could fill you in. I know all the tricks."

"Why would you want to help me?" Ivy asked, suspicious.

He grinned, returning to his usual self. "Who said I’d do it for free? But I could help you, if you’re serious about it."

She looked down, thinking. A part of her was tempted, but another part of her knew getting involved with Trevor would lead to more trouble than it was worth.

"No, thanks," she finally said, standing up and putting her empty bowl in the sink. "I think I can manage without any of your... help."

Trevor watched her walk toward the hallway, a hint of curiosity in his gaze. "You’re stubborn, Ivy. It’ll be fun watching you try."

She rolled her eyes and continued walking, hoping that he’d finally leave her alone. But as she made her way to her room, she couldn’t shake off his words. There was something unsettling about how confident he was, and even worse, the nagging feeling that maybe he was right about Justin. 

But there was no way she’d stoop to accepting help from Trevor. Not now, and not ever. Or so she told herself as she closed her bedroom door, trying to push him from her mind. 

~~

  "You couldn’t even wake me up from my nap," Ivy complained to Justin as he opened the door.

Justin chuckled, following her to the car. "Did you forget the last time I tried? You nearly slapped me."

She rolled her eyes as she climbed into the passenger seat. "Oh, thanks for that," she replied sarcastically.

He laughed as he started the engine. "Why, exactly, are you thanking me?"

"Nothing…" She sighed. "I was just really hungry, that’s all."

Justin smirked as he started the car, giving her a sideways glance. "Hungry, huh? You could've just called me."

Ivy rolled her eyes, buckling her seatbelt. "Yeah, sure. Like you'd even answer."

He laughed. "You’re right; I probably wouldn’t. But it’s the thought that counts, right?"

She smirked, crossing her arms. "Oh, please. You’re just lucky I didn’t smack you for real last time."

He raised an eyebrow as he pulled out of the driveway. "You know, I’m starting to think you enjoy bossing me around. Or maybe you just like my company."

She looked out the window, pretending to ignore him. "In your dreams, Justin."

"Guess we’ll just have to see," he said, his voice laced with amusement. He reached over, turning up the radio. The car filled with the hum of music, and for a moment, they drove in comfortable silence.

But Ivy couldn’t shake the strange feeling in her chest. As much as Justin loved to tease her, she knew he was one of the few people she could count on. She caught herself smiling slightly and quickly looked away, hoping he hadn’t noticed.

"Alright, Miss Grumpy," he said as he pulled up to a diner. "Let’s get you fed before you turn into a hangry monster."

She rolled her eyes again, but a small smile tugged at her lips. "Fine, but you're paying."

Justin held the door open with a grin. "Wouldn’t have it any other way."

As Justin held the door open, Ivy scoffed, stepping out of the car. "Nice try, but we don't have time for your little breakfast detour. We’re already late for school."

Justin shrugged, unfazed. "Relax, it’s senior year. Besides, a quick stop won’t hurt. You know they won't care if we're a few minutes late."

She gave him a skeptical look. "Uh-huh. And what if they decide to make an example of us? I’m not exactly in the mood for detention."

Justin chuckled, leading her towards the diner. "You're just scared they’ll put you in detention with George again. Besides, skipping breakfast is a crime in my book, and I’m not about to let you go starving. Five minutes—promise."

Ivy sighed, but the smell of fresh coffee and pancakes was already winning her over. "Alright, fine. Five minutes, and then you’re speeding us to school."

"Deal," he said, raising a hand in mock surrender.

They slid into a booth, and Ivy immediately grabbed a menu. Justin, of course, didn’t even glance at his; he already knew what he wanted. The waitress came over, and Justin quickly ordered a stack of pancakes with extra syrup and a side of bacon, while Ivy settled on a bagel and coffee.

As they waited for their food, Justin stretched his arms, leaning back with a smirk. "So, when are you gonna finally admit you’re secretly in love with me?"

When he first teased her about this, she thought he had discovered that she liked him, but he had only been teasing.  Because there are best friends, they can make fun of you for anything foolish.

Ivy choked on her water, shooting him a glare. "In your dreams, Justin. Just because you dragged me here for breakfast doesn’t mean I owe you anything."

He grinned, tapping the table. "Keep telling yourself that. You know, you were smiling in the car earlier."

She rolled her eyes, fighting a smile. "Yeah, because I was picturing ways to get back at you for stealing my sleep."

"Oh, sure," he said with a laugh. "Either way, I’ll take it as a win." 

Just then, the waitress returned with their food, and Justin dug in with his usual enthusiasm. Ivy took a sip of her coffee, trying to ignore how nice it felt just sitting there, bantering with him.

But as they polished off the last bites, Ivy checked her watch and groaned. "Alright, we’re officially late."

Justin sighed, grabbing the check. "Relax. I'll get us there in record time."

"Uh-huh," she muttered, gathering her things. "Just don't make me regret trusting you."

They dashed out of the diner, and as Justin started the car, he shot her a confident grin. "Buckle up, Miss Grumpy. I promise you’ll be in class before the bell."

As Justin pulled back onto the road, Ivy held onto her bag, bracing herself for what she knew would be a wild ride. True to his word, he weaved through traffic with ease, making her clutch her seatbelt a little tighter every time he changed lanes.

"Can you not drive like we’re in a car chase?" she muttered, but she couldn’t help laughing a little.

Justin just smirked. "I thought you liked a little excitement in the morning."

"Yeah, but I’d prefer to arrive at school in one piece," she shot back, though a small smile lingered on her face.

They pulled into the school parking lot just as the final bell rang. Ivy gave him a look of disbelief as he parked, catching her breath. "You’ve got to be kidding me. How did you do that?"

"Skill," he said, hopping out of the car. "Come on, we made it with time to spare."

They walked towards the entrance, blending into the morning crowd of students. Ivy slung her bag over her shoulder, still trying to calm her heart rate after their mad dash to school.

"So, lunch later?" Justin asked, falling into step beside her.

"Maybe," she said, glancing at him. "If you don’t ditch me to hang out with your fan club."

He grinned, throwing his arm around her shoulder in a casual, familiar way. "What can I say? It’s hard being this popular."

She shrugged off his arm, rolling her eyes. "You’re impossible, you know that?"

He laughed, giving her a quick wave as they parted ways for class. "And yet, here you are, stuck with me."

As she walked to her first class, Ivy found herself smiling despite herself. Justin could be a complete pain, but he had a way of making her mornings a little brighter—even if she’d never admit it to him. 

~~~

Ivy stood at her locker, rifling through the chaos of textbooks and crumpled papers that cluttered the shelves. The noise of students rushing past filled the air, but she focused on finding her biology book for the upcoming test. 

Just as she was about to close her locker, she heard a familiar, condescending voice.

“Where’s Justin?” Kulture asked, leaning against the locker next to hers with an air of casual superiority. Her perfectly manicured nails glinted under the harsh light as she flipped her long hair over her shoulder, eyeing Ivy with thinly veiled disdain.

Ivy straightened up, crossing her arms defiantly. “Do I look like Justin's keeper?” she snapped, irritation spilling over. She had no patience for Kulture's arrogance, especially when it came to her best friend.

Kulture smirked, unfazed by Ivy’s attitude. “Well, he’s been MIA, and you’re usually glued to him like a shadow,” she retorted, her tone dripping with sarcasm. “I figured you’d know where he is.”

Ivy rolled her eyes, a sarcastic smile creeping onto her face. “Sorry to disappoint, but I’m not his personal assistant. You should try asking him yourself.” 

“Maybe I will,” Kulture said, her smile tight as she stepped closer, invading Ivy's personal space. “But you know how he is when he’s with you. He can be so… distracted.”

Ivy shot her a challenging look. “And maybe he doesn’t want to be babysat by you,” she shot back, feeling a surge of defiance. 

Kulture’s expression darkened momentarily before she plastered on her fake smile again. “Just don’t get too comfortable, Ivy. You wouldn’t want to get in my way,” she warned, her voice low and menacing.

“Right, because that’s worked so well for you in the past,” Ivy said, shrugging dismissively. “Good luck with that.”

With that, Ivy turned away, leaving Kulture fuming behind her. She could feel Kulture’s eyes boring into her back, but she refused to let it bother her. It was just another day of navigating the minefield that was high school, and Ivy wasn’t about to let anyone, especially Kulture, take her down.

TBC